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G. W. HUBBARD.

RESERVOIR 0R TANK APPARATUS TOR WATER GLosRTs. No. 379,810. PatentedMar. 18,1888.

d fR f 4 Hulllllllgl w gvwm N. PEIEHS. Phetljwgnpher. Washington, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W', HUBBARD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

RESERVOIR OR TANK APPARATUS FOR WATER-CLOSETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,310, dated March13, 1888.

Application tiled J une 20, 1857. Serial No. 241.900. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that l, GEORGE HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Reservoir or TankApparatus for Water-Closets, of which the following specification is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention is designed to dispense with the unsightly elevated opentanks now ordinarily employed, and at the same time to securesimplicity, economy, efliciency and durability in the apparatus.

ln accordance withthe said invention the apparatus illustrated in FigureI is employed, said figure being a view in vertical section of saidapparatus. An addition to said apparatus,which may be used and whichisincluded in the invention, is represented in Fig. Il, which figure isa view in vertical section ofthe upper part of the reservoir or tankprovided with said addition.

Referring to Fig. l,the tank or reservoir A, in the form of a tube orpipe of suitably-large diameter closed at top and bottom, is supportedin an upright position by any ordinary or suitable means, and isconnected at the bottom with the hopper or bowl B,of any ordinary orsuitable fornnthrough the discharge-pipe O, and at or near the top withthe water-inlet pipe D. It is provided at the top with an air-inlet,1,andaninwardly-openingcheck-valve, E, for admitting the air when thepressureinside the tank falls slightly below that ofthe outsideatmosphere. A clappet-valve comprising a light leaf-spring, 2, whichtends to hold it closed, is shown; but a valve of other known orsuitable form for permitting the ingress but checking the egress of vaircould be used. The water-inlet pipe D is provided with a checkvalve,F,which may be of ordinary construction. It is relied upon to preventthe loss of pressure in the closed reservoir or tank A by escape of airthrough the pipe D when water is drawn in other parts ofthe house.Without this valve F, or in caseit being used should leak, the reservoirwould remain practically full of water, owing to the communication withthe said pipe D being at or near the top of the tank.

At the bottom of the tank -A there is a discharge-opening, 3, and aself-closing valve,G, which is or may be similar to those commonlyemployed with open tanks, or it may be of other suitable form. It admitsthe water into the supplementary chamber H, whence it passes through thedischarge-pipe C into the hopper or bowl B. This supplementary chamberHis not essential. The valve is provided with a stem, 4, for operatingit, and a spiral compression-spring, 5, is or may be interposed betweenthe bottom of the chamber H and a collar, 6, -on said stem for drawingthe valve more quickly to its seat. The valve is lifted,when desired, byturning the two-armed rock-shaft 7, one arm of which extends under thestem, while the other arm .is connected by the chain 8 with the pull orhandle 9, the chain running over a pulley, 10, soY that when the pull orhandle 9 is drawn up the shaft 7 is turned in the direction to open thevalve. When the pull or handle-Slis released, the valve returns toitsseat. The water in the chamber H continues to run until it is empty.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The reservoir or tank Abeing empty and the valve G closed, the water, Hows in by the pipe D andcollects in the tank, compressing the air in the upper part thereofuntil the pressure of the confined air balances that of the water-works.The inflow then ceases. This pressure is maintained by the check-valvesE and F until it is desired to flush the hopper or bowl. On opening thevalve G the water rushes out under the pressure due to its column andalso to the compression of the confined air. Should the pressure in thetank A at any time fall below that of the atmosphere, the valve E opensand allows air to enter, so that if the pressure of the confined air bereduced by the leakage of the valve F or other-l wise the waterwillstill have the pressure of its own column to force it out.

Sometimes it may be desired to increase the water capacity of the tankby permitting the escape of some of the confined air, so that the inflowis not stopped as soon as it otherwise would be. In that caseapressure-valve, I, is or may be provided, which is set to openoutwardly when the air is compressed by the full pressure, or nearly so,of the water-works, and the end of the inlet-pipe D is placed a suitable'ICO distance below the top of the tank A, so that the Water may riseabove the end thereof until it forms a column VWhich balances thepressure in the pipe D to such an extent as to permit the valve I toclose. The operation of the rest of the apparatus is the same as before.

In the foregoing description the tank or reservoir has been described asan upright tube or pipe, and a tank or reservoir of that description isspecially intended by the refer- Vence to t hetank or reservoir in thecombinations hereinafter pointed out. Nevertheless a closed tank orreservoir of any ordinary or suitable form arranged in any suitableposition may bc employed in the said combinations, and the reference isnot, therefore, restricted to the upright tubular tank orstand-pipe, butincludes a closed tank or closed reservoir in general.

By a closed tank or reservoir is to be understood one which is closedagainst egress of air when full, and not one which is necessarily closedat all times.

Any suitable arrangement of mechanism for operating the discharge-valvemay be used.

A water-inlet pipe communicating with the upper part of the closed tankor reservoir, or at a suitable distance above the bottom, forms aspecial feature of invention in combination the other elementshereinafter pointed out: but the invention is not wholly restrictedthereto, since if the connection were otherwise inadeas, for example, ator near the bottom of the tank-a part of the advantages of the inventionwould be thereby secured. By having the communication at the upper partof the tank the supply of water, at least to the capacity of the tankbelow the end of the waterinlet pipe, is, as already explained,independent ofthe tightness of the check-valve Fin said ripe- Inexplaining the apparatus shown the tank A has been heretofore describedas an upright pipe with a supplemental chamber below, the said chamberbeing not essential. Such a reservoir could be made in various ways, andits combination generally with other elements hereinafter pointed out isincluded in the invention.

As shown, the body or cylindrical portion 12 of the tank is made oflarge-size lap-welded pipe and the ends are formed by castings 13 and14, connected with the cylindrical portion by screw-joints. The lowercasting on which the supplemental chamber H is formed is provided withflanges 15, which are bolted to a flange-ring, 16, screwed to thecylinder l2.

Modifications may be made in detail without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, and parts ol' the invention may be used separately.

l claim as my invention or discovery* 1. The combination, with the bowlor hopper, the discharge pipe, the discharge-valve, and the closedtank,ofan air-check valve which permits the ingress of air into theupper part of said tank whenever the pressure therein falls slightlybelow that outside, but prevents the egress of air therefrom, and aseparate Waterinlet pipe which terminates in the upper part of said tankat a considerable distance below the top thereof, so that a tank nearlyfull of water with a substantial body of air above it will be insured,notwithstanding any withdrawal of air or water through said water-inletpipe, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the closed tank or reservoir, itsdischargevalve, the dischargepipe, and the hopper or bowl, of theWaterinlet pipe having its end below the top ofsaid tank or reservoir,and a pressure-valve loaded to a little below the pressure of thewater-service at the said end, so that said valve permits the escapefrom the tank of air compressed by the full head of the water, andconsequently allows the water to enter until it rises above said end,but prevents egress of air when the water-service pressure is partiallycounterbalanced by the accumulation of water in the tank above said end,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Ihavesigned this specification in the presence oftwo witnesses.

GEORGE W. H'UBBARD.

Vitnesses:

R. BOOTH, H. S. SAVAGE.

